Countercurrent condenser



Sept. 24, 1946. H. E. BYER COUNTER-CURRENT CONDENSER Filed Nov. 24, 1945 ll llv INVENTOR Patented Sept. 24, 1946 UNITED STATE COUNTERCURRENT CONDENSER Henry E. Byer, Bernardsville, N. J.

Application November 24,

6 Claims. (Cl. 261-411) This invention relates to an improved condenser and, in particular, to the type of countercurrent condenser for the condensation of steam or'other gases as described .in' my Patent No. 2,013,029, patented September 3, 1935.

In said patent I have disclosed an improved apparatus for contacting a gas and a liquid flowing in counter-current. Such an apparatus may be used advantageously for the condensation of steam with a counter-current flow of water or in scrubbing and condensing other gases. In condensing steam, the steam is passed through a multiplicity of balanced curtains of water formed by weirs and deflectors. found aiurther improvement which rendersthe condenser more efficient while maintaining my compact and simplified structure.

In the apparatus shown in my previous patent the water is caused'to overflow a concentric weir on to a centrally located bafile below the weir. When operating in accordance with frusto-conical-closed curtain having its apex at the center of the Weir thereby forming a closed curtain of water between the weir and the baffle. It is the purpose of the bafile from the apex of the conical frustrum'in such a manner that it overflows the edges of the bafile into contact with the walls of the condenser as The water then and is again deflected .from them positioned thereon. The two curtains of water extending between the bafile and the condenser walls, and between the weir and baffle form a closed secondary steam condensing chamber with.

the condenser. This secondary chamber contributes materially to the elficient operation of the condenser. Any disruption or break in the curtains of water, however minute, adversely affacts the efficient operation of this condenser.

Ihave found that the condenser described in said Patent 2,013,029 operates efficiently at the designed flow rate for the water but that any appreciable decrease in the flow of thewater causes interruptions in the curtains of water between the weir and the baflle and below the battle, breaks the vacuum, upsets the stabilized operation of the condenser, and results in a material loss in the product output of th apparatus the condenser serves. A decreasein the flow of the water below that for which the condenser is designed thins the curtain of water flowing between the weir and thebaffie below'it and causes the curtainv to spread to approxi I' have now to-deflect the water the designed flow rate, the water column forms a 1943, Serial No. 511,534

mately the shape of a cylinder instead of an inverted cone with thelower base of the cylindrical sheet of water near the edges of the baflle. Water flowing in this manner tends to spatter when it contacts the baffle and causes waves or ripples in the water flowing over the edges of the bafile. Such a decreased flow quently causes breaks in either or'both of the curtains of water between the baffle and the weir or between the baffle and the condenser-walls with a resulting ineflicient operation referred to above. Thus, the apparatus described in this patent does not operate efficiently where the flow rate of the water varies appreciably from the designed flow rate.

It is aspecial object of my invention to provide a condenser of a simplified and compact structure that will operate uniformly under varied conditions of use and with varied flows of water. I

A further object of my invention is to provide a compact multiple chamber condenser which will provide solid curtains of liquid without ma terially decreasing the amount of surface contact between the liquid and the gas over wide variations in the water flow.

It is another object of my invention to provide a steam condenser in which thin solid curtains of Water flowing counter-current to the steam will not be broken or blown. aside even though the-flow of water is below normal or fluctuates.

Additional objects, purposes and advantages of my invention will appear from the disclosure taken in connection with the attached drawing which illustrates a preferred form of embodiment thereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through my improved condenser, M I I Figure 2 is ahorizontal section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and, I

Figure 3 .is a horizontal section-along line 3--3 of Figure l and diagrammatically represents details of structure of an improvedwater leader.

- The condenser lfi shown in Figure 1 is provided :with amain condensing chamber l2 into which the steam or other gases to be condensed or washed enter through the conduit It. The condensing liquid enters the condenser 10' through the inlet l6 and after flowing through the con denser passes through the outlet I8.-'I'he uncondensed gases collect in the upper portion of the condenser 20 and are withdrawn through the outlet 22.

, In the embodiment shown, a baflle 24'is located below the water inletJ 6 to deflect the water along of water frethe sides of the condenser [0, below the point of impact of the water. The condenser I is provided with a perforate water leader 2t convergme toward an orifice 34 positioned above an 28, which again deflects the water along the sides of the condenser I 0. The baflle 28 is advantageously provided with a Support 29 in the form of an inverted V. The condenser I0 is provided with a deflector ring 30 below the. bafile 28 which deflects, thev water in a curtain spaced from the walls of the chamber l2.

As shown in Figure 3, the perforate water with radial fingers 32 conto an orifice; 36. Between perforations or unobstructed verging downwardly the fingers there are gases may pass. The pressure equilibrium Within the condenser and the surface tension of the water is such that the water leader 26 will support a very thin curtain of water on its radially converging fingers 32 which will be a: solid curtain near the center of the baffle 28.

In the operation of the condenser, as shown, the water flows into the inlet It orany other suitably positioned inlet on to the umbrella shaped baffle 24 andv thence is. spread and deflected against the sides of the condenser It. The water then flows: along the side of the. condenser into contact with the perforate. water leader 26. The water flows over the surface of the Water leader 26 and flows in. a frustro-conical solid curtain of water over the radial fingers 32 and bridging across the unobstructed passageways 35 to an orifice or apex 34 near the center of the condenser and then on to the second umbrella bafile 28. This solid sheet of water is deflected from the umbrella baifie 28 into contact with the walls of the condenser I 0. The water flows along the Walls of the condenser I 0 and is deflected therefrom by the deflector ring 30 into a curtain spaced from the walls ID of the chamber l2.

The steam or other gases to be condensed or washed enter the condensing chamber 12 through the inlet l4 into contact with the sheet of water densation takes place in the chamber I2, and the condensate is removed with the condenser water through the outlet l8. However, any uncondensed steam or gases or any uncondensable gases then fiow from the chamber l2 through the From the chamber I3 the gases pass through openings 36 in the water leader 26 and through the curtain of liquid 44 on the surface of the fingers 32 into the upper portions of the condenser I 0. The uncondensed or washed gases are withdrawn through the gas outlet 22. In the normal operation of the apparatus where steam is being condensed, all of the steam will been condensed by the time it passes through the secondary condensing chamber l3 into the upper portions of the condenser. However, in the apparatus as disclosed, the uncondensed gases are further contacted by a sheet of water 46 deflected from the upper baille 24 before they are withdrawn through the gas outlet 22.

In this construction thin sheets of water flow through the condenser evenl and without any pulsating effect. The construction of the water leader 26 is such as to cause an even flow of water at all times on, to the center of the baflle 2 8 The thinning. out and spreading of the wa- 4 ter column is prevented. At all times, a substantially solid curtain of water is maintained between the primary condensing chamber and the secondary condensing chamber and between the secondary condensing chamber and the upper portion of the condenser thereby preventing the necessary to the efiicient operation of the condenser. Losses in efliciency which normally occur in condensers of the prior'type wherein there is a considerable fluctuation from the designed water flow rate are avoided. This condenser is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain due to its small number ofparts' and may be readily installed due to its compact nature.

The perforate water leader 26 which directs the flow of waterfrom the walls of the condenser to the center where it flows on to the bafiie may be variously designed and the fingers 32 may be given a greater slope or be brought nearly to the horizontal without materially afiectingthe operation of the condenser provided the water leader 26 is so arranged as to cause all of stream on the center of the bafile 28 when the condenser is in operation. As the water converges to the orifice 34 the thickness of the sheet of water increases and the weight of the water per unit of area likewise increases, thereby giving a discharging sheet of water weighted at the point of discharge. This discharging water alas a result the water is not lifted or blown aside at the center of the water leader 26. The insheet of Water flowing over the fingers 32 of the water leader 26 and across 36 is thinner at the outer circumference of the perforations 36 than the Water discharging through the orifice 34 on to baflle 28 and forms a solid sheet state of balance with the gases which readily pass through the thin sheet flowing across the perforations 36 without materially breaking the solid film of water.

While I have scope and spirit of the description thereof, and of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a counter-current condenser, a leader for conducting water inwardly from the walls of the condenser and discharging it in a substantially unbroken stream at the center of a condenser which comprises an annular substantially horicontactingwith th walls of the conterminating in a substantially circular opening near the center of the condenser, with the spaces between said fingers being larger where the finers meet said annular wall.

2'. In a counter-current gas and liquid contact means to again. converge said liquid into a column openings between said fingers through which a gas may pass.

3. In a steam condenser of the'class described, a main condensing chamber, a secondary steam condensing chamber, a gas collection chamber with a gas outlet, a water inlet tor the condenser, a centrally located baflle, and means to form a substantially continuous thin curtain of water through which gas may pass from said secondary chamber to said gas collection chamber including an annular water leader extending to thewalls of said condenser and adapted to lead water therefrom to the center of saidcondenser'in a continuous sheet and onto said bafile, said water leader having discontinuous walls with apertures oisubstantial size through which said gas may pass, said leader stricted orifice at the center of the condenser and converging said continuous sheet of water on said bafiie in a frusto-conical column, said baflle serving to deflect the water to the walls of the condenser and to form a curtain of water between said main chamber and said secondary chamber.

4. In a steam condenser of the class described, a main condensing chamber, a secondary steam condensing chamber, a gas collection chamber with a gas outlet, awater inlet for the condenser, a centrally locatedbafile, and means to form a substantially continuous thin curtain of water through which gas may pass from said secondary chamber to said gas collection chamber including an annular water leader extending to the walls of said condenser and adapted to lead water therefrom to the center of said condenser and onto said baiiie, said water leader having fingers extending relatively inwardly and downwardly from said walls to a restricted orifice at the center of the condenser to converge said continuous sheet of water on said baiile in a substantially extending to a relatively re-' 'flect the water to th walls into a thin sheet walls thereof, means a I plurality of frustro-conical column, said bafile serving to deto for a curtain of water between said main chamber and-said secondary chamber.

5. In counter-current gas and liquid "contact apparatus of the class described, a vertical cylindrical chamber having a liquid outlet near the bottom, a gas inlet near the bottom, and a gas outlet near the top, means to spread a liquid entering substantially flowing downwardly along the to again converge said liquid into a column flowing downward substantially at the center of said chamber, and means to again spread said liquid into a thin sheet flowing down-'- wardly along the walls of said chamber while permitting gas to contact and pass through said liquid, said converging means comprising a water leader contacting with the walls of said column and having a ledge near the column walls with fingers extending relatively inwardly and downwardly from said ledge and positioned centrally of forming an opening substantially at the center of said column and openings between said fingers through which a gas may escape. I

6. In a counter-current gas and liquid contact apparatus of the class described, a vertical contact chamber having a liquid inlet near the top and a liquid outlet near the bottom, a gas inlet near the bottom and a gas outlet near the top, a plurality of annular liquid deflectors between the gas inlet and the liquid inlet including a water leader extending from the wallsof the chamber inwardly and converging to an orifice the chamber and above a centrally located baflle, said leader converging the liquid flowing from the walls of said chamber into a thin sheet, while permitting gas to contact and pass therethrough, and into a column flowing downward substantially at thecenter of said chamber onto said centrally located bailie, said leader being provided with unimpeded passageways through which said gas may pass and converging to said orifice positioned centrally of the chamber, the upper part of the passageways being of larger dimensions toward the outer circume ference of the water leader, said baiiie deflecting the liquid from the center and against the walls of the chamber.

' HENRY E. BYER.

of the condenser and at the center of the chamber v 

